Adjusting means for a garment



P 15, 1954 R. F. ANDERSON 3,148,377

ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A GARMENT Filed Sept. 19, 1961 INVENTOR. B05527 F gj/YDEFjO/V United States Patent 3,148,377 ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A GARMENT Robert F. Anderson, 825 Wisconsin Ave., Racine, Wis. Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,271 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-127) This invention relates to garments requiring adjustment for size such as those worn by men, and especially to shirts having detachable collars.

Mens shirts of the detachable-collar type are made with neckband sizes that vary by one-half inch steps, such as sizes 14, 14 /2, 15, etc. A clothing shop buyer must then anticipate sales, and maintain a stock of each size sufficiently large to satisfy anticipated requirements. He then risks having a stock of shirts in sizes that may not sell. This problem of overstocking is especially serious with respect to shirts having colored detachable collars, and to the stock of these collars. It is obvious that the adjustment feature of this invention can be applied to various garments.

An object therefore of this invention is to generally improve shirts and garments of this type.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the number of shirt sizes required to be kept in stock.

Another object is to provide a shirt having a neckband that will permit adjustment for neck size.

Another object is to provide a peripheral adjustment for a garment to satisfy the need for various sizes.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown: However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a shirt of the type embracing this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the shirt of FIG. 1, showing the neckband of this invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the neckband in which the outer portion at the rear is raised to show the means of securing an adjustment.

FIG. 4 shows a fragmentary portion of FIG. 2 after an adjustment for neck size has been made.

Referring again to the drawings; this invention is embodied in a shirt having a body portion 12, a front opening 13, a back portion 15, a neck opening 17, and a neckband 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. When referring to the front or the rear of the shirt in this description, the usual meaning of these words will be intended. Body 12 is conventional and will not be further described.

Neckband 16 is of the type used with detachable collars, and includes the usual rear button hole 20 and also has provision for the front collar button 22. These details are conventional and need not be further described. Neckband 16 comprises a tubular segment 24 having an inner wall 26 and an outer Wall 28. The lower edges 30 and 32 of walls 26 and 28 respectively are stitched to body 12 in the customary manner, thus defining a tubular passageway. Segment 24 extends forwardly in both directions from hole 20 to terminate in openings 34 and 36 at shoulder seams 19, only one of which is shown. A portion of edge 32 below and to either side of hole 20, however, is not stitched to body 12 for a reason that will appear.

The front portion of band 16 comprises a pair of front bands 38 and 40 which are stitched at their lower edges 42 and 44 to body 12. Bands 38 and 40, from 3,148,377 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 points 46 and 48 rearwardly, are free of body 12 and are not stitched thereto and comprise tongues 50 and 52 which are inserted into ends 34 and 36 of the channel formed in segment 24, which tongues continue rearwardly within segment 24 to overlap each other adjacent hole 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Tongues 50 and 52 are held in overlapping relationship by the conventional fastener 54 available for the purpose and which fastener needs not be further described. Button 22 is of the usual type employed to button the front of the neckband together, and to secure the collar to the band 16. The usual rear collar clip, not shown, is inserted in hole 20 in order to secure a collar to the rear of the neckband 16.

When an adjustment is to be made in the size of the neckband 16, for example, to reduce the neck size, the ends of tongues 50 and 52, as shown in FIG. 3, are drawn in the direction of the overlap. This operation draws tongues 50 and 52 into segment 24 so that points 46 and 48 approach ends 34 and 36 respectively. When the desired size has been obtained, fastener 54 will retain the size of the neckband.

A gather 94 of material from body 12 will occur between points 46 and 48, and ends 34 and 36 respectively, when making the adjustment; however, this is not objectionable as the collar fitting over the neckband will conceal this gather.

It is evident that this invention provides a means of making garments adjustable to compensate for changes in style, as well as permit adjustment to accommodate changes in collar sizes.

It is evident, also, that this invention reduces the inventory of shirts considerably, and assures sales when unusual sizes and combinations of neck sizes are requested.

This invention is not to be considered as being limited to application to mens shirts, but may conceivably be applied to other garments. For example, waist bands on trousers, womens brassieres and skirts.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A garment having a body, a front portion, a back portion, a band defining an opening, and shoulder seams joining said front and back portions, said band comprising a tubular segment secured to said back portion, having an inner and an outer wall, and terminating in open ends substantially at said shoulder seams, a pair of front segments secured to said front portion and having tongues free of said front portion, one of said tongues inserted into each of said open ends, said tongues mutually overlapping within said tubular segment at a point intermediate said ends, said outer wall being free of said back portion at said point and means to secure said tongues mutually together at said point to obtain an infinitely-variable adjustment of said band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,013 Boudet May 13, 1902 858,845 Wurtemberg June 2, 1907 934,567 Penington Sept. 21, 1909 1,119,217 Baldwin Dec. 1, 1914 1,327,476 Hurwitz Jan. 6, 1920 1,419,332 Walker June 13, 1922 1,534,597 Luftig Apr. 21, 1925 1,603,482 Marquisee Oct. 19, 1926 1,658,135 Merenna Feb. 7, 1928 1,789,422 Askey et al. Jan. 20, 1931 1,855,590 Stein Apr. 26, 1932 ((lther references on following page) Hymes Aug. 8, 1933 Kaplan May 16, 1939 Wischan Nov. 5, 1940 Harrison Oct. 27, 1942 Giusefli Aug. 24, 1943 Gleeson Dec. 18, 1962 4 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 26, 1956 France Aug. 16, 1960 Great Britain of 1904 Great Britain of 1911 Great Britain Mar. 21, 1937 

